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Page 502
husband liked Lord Salisbury and that Salisbury had spoken for William to the king many times. She knew also that Salisbury was Ian's friend and that Ian was fostering his son. It did not occur to her that Salisbury was also, and first, John's brother and might be playing a double game. She saw only the fear and pain in him when he spoke of Geoffrey. In any case, when he told her what Alinor was doing, she was so horrified that she probably would have told Satan where the men were, to prevent Alinor from leading them. Seeing how he had overset her, Salisbury spent a few hours calming Isobel and assuring her he would save Alinor from herself. It turned out to have been time well spent.
After evensong, Salisbury set out for Clifford, revolving expedients in his mind. He had learned from Isobel a piece of valuable information aside from where the men were to meet. That was that he would not be welcomed by them in the light of a savior from the whims of a silly woman.
"I am not sure what these men will do," Isobel had told him. "Old Sir Andre and Sir John would have tried to kill you outright if they thought your order conflicted with Alinor's good. I doubt Sir Giles, Sir Henry, or Sir Walter will go so far as that, but they may suddenly fall 'sick' or simply disappear so that you cannot give them orders they feel they cannot obey."
It was a valuable warning. Salisbury, who had been thinking he would need to urge the men to serve their mistress, turned his mind instead to ways of convincing them he wished to serve her. It was not so simple. Isobel might not associate him with the king, but these men, particularly Sir Walter and Sir Henry, who had fought in the tourney, would. He determined at last not to show the king's writ. Isobel's letter and seal opened Clifford to him without difficulty. Once within, he had reason to be grateful for Isobel's warning. Sir Giles of Iford, in bedrobe and slippers, came to greet him.

 
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